Pre and Post Adoption Rights of Biological Parents

Choosing adoption for your child can be the right choice in certain circumstances. If you’re wondering what rights you and have before and after the adoption, read on:

Legal Rights

Adopt says that in order for a child to be legally adopted, birth parents have to first relinquish all the legal parental rights they have to the child. So if this is the path you want to take, you’ll have to let go of all your parental rights to make your child eligible for adoption. This entails signing adoption agreements or contracts that terminate your rights. In some situations, biological parents might be asked to attend a hearing.

How It Works

When you’re giving up an infant, biological parents terminate their rights by singing over these rights to the new parents. Once the talks are finalized and the papers are signed, biological parents might not change their minds. However, in many cases, there is a window, a waiting time of 48 to 72 hours after the birth wherein parents could change their minds about the adoption and instead, raise the child on their own. However, in states compliant with the Uniform Adoption Act, mothers are allowed 8 whole days to decide whether to keep the child or give it up for adoption. Once the mother decides to go through with the adoption, then it becomes final and any rights and obligations to the birth parents are thereby terminated.

In the case of older kids being given up for adoption, though, the termination of parental rights happens in a hearing, right before the adoption proceeds. Once this goes through, birth parents can no longer change the outcome.

Finding Help

Going through an adoption process means you’ll need an adoption lawyer by your side. To ensure a speedy, stress-free and hassle-free adoption, choose someone with experience involving adoption laws where you live.